Ronan, accompanied by a masked man in a long hooded coat and a young woman with glasses sporting tight, robotic-style clothing, approached Magnus and plopped down beside him.
Ronan scowled at everyone. "What's going on?"
"Time's tight," Magnus said, glancing at Kael and the others.
"Kael, you likely already recognize Garrick and Elara."
"I've tasked him with leading all the mercenaries on this expedition." Magnus continued, gesturing towards Garrick.
"Trust me, he's a skilled strategist in both defense and offense."
"Makes sense," Kael replied.
"We're the vanguard, after all If the Shadow Serpent team spots anything suspicious or encounters a pack of dangerous mutated beasts, we'll be the first ones responsible for engaging them and drawing them out while you guys set up the traps and finish them off."
Garrick nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. As for traps, don't worry, I'm here for that. I'm also eager to test some new combat devices I've developed." Elara chimed in with a mischievous grin, her eyes occasionally flickering towards a silent Elias.
She then stood up and weaved her way through the group to Elias, dropping down beside him with a playful plop.
"Hello, handsome," Elara purred, winking at him.
"Hey, Elara," Ronan barked irritably. "Keep it serious."
Elara, unfazed, continued to blatantly ogle Elias with a head-to-toe sweep. "Oh come on, gravity can't hold back the truth! He is undeniably handsome."
Elias chuckled, feigning offense. "Ha ha ha! Indeed, I am a vision of manly perfection. That's why I already secured a wife at such a young age."
Elara sidled up to Elias and, with a sly whisper, slipped something into his bag.
"Don't let her fool you, Elias," Ronan warned. "She'll just use you as a guinea pig for her experiments."
"Hey! I'm not a mad scientist," Elara protested, though her eyes remained firmly fixed on Elias.
"Enough!" Magnus boomed, silencing the bickering.
"Listen up! The Tempest Wolf team will act as the vanguard. Don't worry, some Shadow Serpent members will be moving with you under the radar. If you encounter something dangerous, stall for time – that's all you need to do."
Garrick elaborated, "Our Ironclad team will follow behind due to our slower movement."
Moran, ever the inquisitive one, pointed towards the line of soldiers with his head. "What about them? What's their job?"
"They're tasked solely with guarding the logistics and health team," Ronan answered curtly.
A loud BRRRM shattered the air, heralding the arrival of a heavy vehicle.
"Gentlemen, please prepare yourselves! Double-check your equipment. We depart in moments!" Commander Dominic's voice boomed from the direction of the gate.
In response, everyone in the group rose to their feet in unison. They swiftly assumed their designated positions. While mercenaries often have a reputation for being undisciplined and disorderly, when confronted with their duties, they could transform with the efficiency of elite soldiers.
True to their moniker, the fifteen members of the Shadow Serpent mercenary group vanished like phantoms, melting into the shadows with practiced ease.
Kael's pack, representing the Tempest Wolf mercenary group, followed in a swift and well-rehearsed formation. Kael and Moran led the way on the flanks, followed by Elias and Mira, with Renn securing the center.
Eight Ironclad members, now clad in hulking combat robots, flanked the truck on either side. Mason and Ronan strode purposefully in front of the vehicle, their expressions serious and focused as they clutched their preferred weapons.
Behind them marched a company of a hundred soldiers, each armed with laser rifles of varying sizes, under the command of Commander Dominic.
***
Three days after departing, the expedition team reached the heart of the wilderness, a far cry from the complete unit they were when they left. Their ranks had dwindled – only a third remained. Even Commander Dominic lay grievously injured in the logistics truck, attended by two worried medics.
Exhaustion etched lines on every mercenary's face, their bodies bearing the marks of numerous skirmishes. While no fatalities or major injuries occurred, the constant threat of danger had taken its toll. Some slumped wearily on tree stumps, while others remained vigilant, scanning their surroundings.
Their journey had been far from smooth. The Black Area, notorious for its dangers, had lived up to its name. Mutated beasts of various kinds had launched relentless attacks, testing their resolve.
After the emergence of these mutated creatures, the territories beyond humanity's protected zones were classified by a color-coded danger system: White zones offered safe haven for humans, Green zones were free from wild animals (both mutated and non-mutated) but outside the protection zones, Yellow zones had low danger levels, Red zones posed a high threat but were still manageable with current human weaponry, and finally, the Black zones. These areas, known for their deadly natural conditions and terrifying mutated inhabitants, represented the highest level of danger.
The governing bodies of each White Zone strictly prohibited anyone from entering the Black Zones, a testament to their extreme peril.
"I don't know what happened," Elias muttered, a bitter expression etched on his face as he looked at Alex and Reynold.
"Everything just… happened so suddenly."
"A black shadow… it just sucked us in," he continued, the memory still ringing in his ears.
He could still hear the echo of Magnus's voice, distorted by the chaos: "You're too young to die here!"
Just before a massive blow from Magnus's combat robot hand sent him flying, wrenching him free from the mysterious black shadow's pull. Though half-destroyed, Elias had survived. But who had found him and brought him to the north gate, he had no idea.
Silence filled the room as Elias finished his story.
Reynold cleared his throat. "Alright, Mr. Elias. Your explanation is clear. We'll conduct further investigations," he assured Elias.
"Mr. Elias," Alex added, nodding towards Reynold and the doctor, "we wish you a speedy recovery and a quick return to your duties. We have a lot to handle, so we'll take our leave."
With the doctor and the two figures in black coats gone, the treatment room fell silent, broken only by the sound of choked sobs. Natalie sat beside Elias, her head resting on his chest, tears streaming down her face.
"Calm down, Nat, there's no need to cry..." Elias said while stroking Natalie's head gently.
Natalie got up, sobbing and looking sullenly at Elias.
"I'm still alive, right? Look... these wounds will heal soon," Elias said while gently wiping the tears flowing down Natalie's cheeks.
"Yes... you have to stay alive… for our daughter... don't die..." Natalie muttered faintly.
*****
The roar of strong winds, heavy rain accompanied by storms, and thunderous thunder that struck in response seemed to swallow Natalie's voice.
"Nat... Natalie..." Elias muttered in shock. Tears welled up in his eyes.
He felt someone's hand touching his forehead, then holding his wrist and slightly massaging his veins. Slowly, his hand moved to hold the back of the hand that was holding it. It felt different, not as soft as his wife's hands, Elias thought. "Eh... why are your hands so wrinkled, Nat...?" he muttered as he opened his eyes and glanced at the person he thought was his wife.
"Natalie... how come... you're an old grandfather..." Elias muttered in a surprised tone. His eyes were wide open, his mouth agape, as he looked at the person sitting in front of him. He quickly let go of the hand he had been holding and rubbing.
Natalie, who had been sitting in front of him, frowning and sobbing, suddenly seemed to change into an old man with a white mustache and beard, who smiled at him.
"Ahem... body condition is normal…"
"Level is still 0… all stats and attributes show almost at the limit."
"The effects of penalties due to hunger and poisoning have started to gradually decrease," the old man muttered, ignoring the expression on Elias' face, which was still stunned in astonishment.
"Okay, young man, you should eat first while it's still warm, so the effect will be better for your body and mind," he said as he stood up and walked towards the dining table.
"Come here… sit down," he said again as he sat down and pointed at the plentiful food: a plate full of cooked meat, hot soup in a large bowl, and plenty of various kinds of fruits, served on the dining table.
As if hypnotized, Elias got up and got out of bed, still showing a dumbfounded face.
Many things bewildered him. Not only the old man who had materialized in front of him, but also his own condition.
Moments ago, he felt on the brink of death, yet now he felt significantly better. The dizziness, nausea, and fatigue had vanished, replaced by a lightness in his body. He was still hungry and weak, likely from days without food.
"Come on, eat," the old man urged with a smile.
Elias remained silent, his confusion a tangible cloud. He rubbed his eyes, occasionally shaking his head in disbelief.
"This can't be real," he muttered, staring at the food displayed before him.
"It feels too real to be a hallucination."
The old man chuckled softly at Elias's behavior.
"It's not a dream," he assured.
"Eat while it's warm. The food loses its potency when it cools." He noticed the doubt flickering in Elias's eyes.
"Don't worry, there's no poison in there. You haven't eaten in days, I can tell."